Do you have tattoos? If you do, then you know that a central part of getting them to heal up nicely is proper aftercare. Along with wrapping them, some kind of healing ointment is usually applied to help keep the skin hydrated, protected and to give it some extra healing ingredients. And while there are plenty of store bought ointments to use, it’s super easy to upgrade and use something that protects, hydrates and heals better than anything you’ve tried before. Enter: Shea butter.

Raw African Shea butter is the perfect tattoo balm because it is long lasting, rich in naturally occurring healing compounds, and known for its skin protecting qualities. It is very high in botanical vitamin A which is excellent for healing and regenerating skin. This comes in handy for tattoo care because in the beginning the tattoo is akin to an open wound and needs substances like vitamin A to more quickly and effectively regenerate and heal itself. The better and more smoothly a tattoo can heal, the better the finished product will look.

Additionally, Shea butter also contains high levels of vitamins C and E, both of which act as potent antioxidants to help the skin heal and protect it from further damage and even scarring. Along with these skin healing vitamins is a host of hydrating and moisturizing essential fatty acids that penetrate deep into the skin and allow your skin cells to remain healthy and functioning at an optimal level. This is especially important when healing a tattoo because it is ultimately the health and healing abilities of your skin cells that determines how effective the communications within your healing skin will be. By feeding them lubricating essential fatty acids, you can trust that your tattoo will be less scaly and heal faster than if you had not done it.

You can use Shea butter on your tattoos simply as is, or mix it with another carrier oil like Coconut for added spreadability and healing goodness. The nice thing about Shea butter is that it soaks into the skin evenly and quick, but a thin layer will still remain on the surface of your tattoo to keep it protected. And because it has the added bonus of helping to prevent infection, there’s not much you can’t do for your tattoo with a daily application of ourWildcrafted Raw African Shea butter.